What would you recommend to anglers fishing in Punta Cana for the first time?

DON'T travel with your fly rod in hand carry on the way back to the US. Dominican security confiscated my rod at the airport security checkpoint! I barely got my $800 reel back with me. They have NO idea how to handle anglers.

In my opinion every day fishing is different. We had 6 strikes took 2 fish. I think thats pretty acceptable. We travelled in the taxi with two guys from Chile and they went on a 4 hour trip and caught 5 Mahi Mahi.

I really love fishing and I’v been fishing in different parts of our planet. In the Dominican Republic, I was already 2 times and every time I went fishing with Captain Miguel and his team (Santa Elena Charters). Miguel is an amazing captain, it seemed to me that he felt where the fish was and exactly there St. Elena unfolded. The last time, we returned to the beach with 5 big mahi mahi 2 wahoo and blue marlin, which we released. If you are thinking about fishing, then do not hesitate, book a charter with Captain Miguel, you'll be satisfied!

This was our first trip to Punta Cana, so I wasn't sure what to expect. We were seeking more edible fish vs. the trophy fish. We landed 4 Mahi-Mahi and probably lost or didn't hook up quick enough on 6-8 other bits. The seas were rough in my opinion, with swells as big as 8-10' where you would actually dip down and lose site of land. Overall we caught fish and had a good experience with Marlin Fever and the crew.

recommend this excursion to all those who are passionate sea, adventure and fishing. the day 17 March my husband and I went fishing. my experience: the service is excellent. we could see whales and Dolphins. pescamos 16 mahi mahi. we had a lunch divine with shrimp and prawns. hear very good music. climate excellent. good drink beer, wine .... attention very good. Super well everything. I think relive this beautiful experience.

I'm not an expert on fishing season in Punta Cana in December, so its difficult for me to describe what's a typical December day. Depending on your goals for the day, a few large fish, like Wahoo, or if you are looking for more quantity, I'd guess that your crew can work hard to find a happy medium. Our experience was that in a 4-hour half day trip with a great crew, you can expect 3-8 fish hitting your tackle on a boat with about 6 lines trolling in the water. Not sure if that's typical, but we got the experience we wanted.

Don't take the half day trip. They don't go out very far and probably the same places every day. My fault for booking that type of trip. We caught no fish but had two bites. Perhaps if we went straight out and back we would have been in deeper water with more fish. Boat and crew were great.

Granted the crew blamed the poor fishing on a full moon and that they can eat all night. These are fish that never stop moving, rarely stop eating. Wave conditions were 2-4 so not bad for this time of year. These are old boats, chugger desiel engines so expect lots of funds that will add to the sick sickness for some.

Beware. Best trip was a full boat charter with three other guys. Less cost, better treatment. Smaller boat as well allowing the helm to be in the same area as the fishermen allowing for an exchange of information and comradorie.

Book a highly rated guide a month in advance. The local hotels only book 4 hour trip for guided that don't book up in advance. There is a reason for that - they are not typically any good. You might get lucky, but the prices are any different if you book in advance and you'll get a better guide. Go for 6 hours minimum to get out farther into the better fishing grounds.

Be ready for rocking and rolling seas. Even on calm days, you are on the ocean, it is never flat. Take dramamine as needed and ride the ride. Our trip went out at high tide and we hit them hard right then. Timing and strategy are key. A great captain and crew are necessity.

Advice is to pick a good boat/captain. Also, since the water is fairly deep and sometimes pretty rough, get your seasickness remedy in order if you're going out more than a few miles. My wife will now wear the wristband things that do some type of acupressure on the wrist nerve. Dramamine worked for me, but the seas can be rough

We have done a lot of lake fishing and we went out in the Gulf of Mexico last summer but this was our first time fishing on ocean water like this. The boat was a-rockin'!! We all felt a little queasy at some point but it was tolerable and passed quickly. Bring along your Dramamine if you think you might need it!

Pick a company with newer boats with GPS/Fish finder and newer rods/reels equip with professional staff. All the websites show many fish caught but looks like the reality is only one or several are caught. Not sure if it's the month we went or if seasons are diff but we only caught two and some boats caught none. Maybe another boat / time is better?

Go with "Big Marlin Fishing" , they are the only company that does a private charter. They take great care of you, and make sure to answer any and all questions and make sure you enjoy the fishing experience. Also study up on fishing catalogs about different things so you can ask questions.

Book before you go, lots of empty promises here. They are just trying to survive financially and make things seem more than they really are. They would be better off highlighting there good points and not embelishing what isnt as great. This is not meant towards my fishing experience with the Barbie, it was the highlight of the entire week!

Ensure you choose a company/boat that speaks your language and make sure of exactly what is included in your trip. A good captain will find the fish and I would imagine they are all very good at the fishing part.

Invite a friend or two and book a full day private trip. A full day really expands the options for where you can fish.

where are the medical patch behind your ear to help you from getting seasick hate to see you go all the way out there and have a bad experience from the side of the boat

Find a captain who cares about you. Find a trip that actually leaves from a marina not just off the bank. Ask about the weather.

We had a great experience, but were told that the fishing is definitely better in the winter months

The process is easier than it might appear and yes, you can bring Mahi-Mahi and other non-bill fish back into the US. Just declare it.

I would not do a 4 hour trip. It isn’t enough time to get the full experience; 6 hours was great for us. Be prepared for large swells the entire trip.

Make sure you confirm the boat is based in a proper marina and not a low rate beach vendor pretending to be based in a marina

Fishing heavy boat is a complete rip off, but today I fished on board Tease Me from Cap Cana marina and had a great day !

It’s beautiful, however we chose to fish at a slow time during the season. Didn’t do my research but still had a great time!

I recommend doing a private charter if you are fishing the ocean for the first time, not a group charter. Have fun, we did!

Be prepared for a great day of fishing. If you target a specific type of fish like I did (marlin) you will pass up on action from other varites.

I have fished a lot of places and the water here is quite rough, if you tend to get seasick this is not a place for you.

If you like getting seasick and having trip misrepresented, then by all means go. Otherwise it's a waste of time and money.